Hair waver



June 15, 1937.

B. A. STERLING HAIR WAVER Filed May 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l June .15, 1937.

Filed May 8, 1929 B. A. STERLING HAIR WAVER 2 `Sl'leets-Sheec 2 Patented June 15, 1937 UNi'l'E STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to hair wavers and may be characterized as an improvement in hair wavers of the type illustrated and described in my copending application, Serial No. 332,831, filed January l5, 1929.

It is the object of the present invention to eliminate kinking of the hair along the region where the strands of hair enter between the jaws of the waving device.

Another object is to improve the protection of the scalp from the steam and heat of the Waving device.

Another object is to improve the means for holding and releasing the waving spool and particularly to provide a mounting for this spool, which is released by the separation of the jaw members of the device and without a separate deliberate operation.

Another object is to remove sharp corners from 'the jaw members of the device along the region ci entry of the strands of hair therebetween.

Another object is the provision of improved faoings for the jaw members of the device.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view, looking from the right hand end in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a side elevational View;

Figure 4 is an end view, looking from the left hand end of the device, as viewed in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4, with the detent arm for holding the jaws together in elevation;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section, taken on the line 6 5 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an end View similar to Figure 4, with the jaws of the device fully clamped together;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the detent arm employed in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 7;

Figure 9 is an end view similar to Figure 4, showing another form of device for clamping the jaw members together;

Figure l0 is a fragmentary plan View, showing the clamping means of Figure 9;

Figure 1l is a detail section, taken on the line Il-II of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an end view, similar to Figure 9, showing another form of device for clamping the jaw members together; and

Figure 13 is a fragmentary plan View, showing the clamping means of Figure 12.

Referring to the drawings, the device shown comprises a pair of jaw members 5 and '6, each of which preferably consists of a flat, generally rectangular block l, preferably of wood, although these block-s may be of fiber or any other suitable or preferred heat insulating material- The surfaces of the blocks 1, which are presented to the scalp are, preferably, provided with faci-ngs 8. Each of the facings 8 preferably comprises a thin sheet rubber facing strip 9, which is presented to the scalp in the operation of the device and a felt or other equivalent pad I0 interposed between these strips 9 and the adjacent surfaces of the blocks l. The rubber strips 9 are preferably vulcanized directly to pads I9, which I nd provides a permanent union therebetween, which will well withstand the heat which is vapplied in the operation of the device. The opposite surfaces of the pads I are attached directly to the adjacent surfaces of the blocks 'I at I2, preferably by means of a lish or water glass glue, which I find provides a union between these pads and the blocks, which will likewise well withstand `the heat which is applied and the steam which Ais formed in the operation of the device.

To avoid 'sharp corners along the region of entry of the strands of hair indicated in dotted lines at I3 in Figure 6 between the jaws of the device, the blocks 'I preferably have their lower inner longitudinal corners rounded or removed as indicated at I4 in Figure 6. Then, in order to prevent binding of the facings 8 along this region, the adjacent longitudinal edges of these facings are preferably cut on a bias, as indicated at I5 in `Figure 6. This provides relief I6 for permitting closing of the jaws without possible binding of the facings 8 and, by this formation, these facings may eve-n conform up to the rounded or removed corners I4 of the blocks 1.

The outer surfaces of the blocks 1 are preferably provi-ded with cross-ribs I8 and superposed upon these cross-ribs :I8 are relatively thin metallic plates, the plate on the jaw 5 being designated at I9 :and the 'plate on :the jaw E being designated'at 20. The plates I9 and 20 are secured to the respective blocks 1 by suitable fastening means 4 faces of the jaws 5 and ii. The facing strips 21, preferably, comprise strips of relatively live yielding rubber, or other equivalent material, and are shown oi generally T-shape cross-section, with the adjacent surfaces of the enlarged meeting heads preferably grooved longitudinally at 28 (Figure 6). rihe meeting surfaces of the facing strips 2l preferably project from the plates I9 and 23 and blocks i to provide yielding jaws for gripping the strands of hair I3 and the blocks 1 may be grooved at 29 for the inner legs of these strips and 3@ for the enlarged yielding heads of the strip.

Surrnounting the plates I9 and 20, Ythere are preferably metallic plates 32 forming stii'leners and which may be secured to the blocks 1 by the securing means El.

These plates 32 have inwardly extending separated lugs extending between the lugs 25 and supplementing the retention for the facing strips 21. The mounting of the facing strips 21 provides spaced gaps along the strip and the strips are freed and open to the atmosphere or aerated along these gaps. This maintains the strips live and in good resilient condition, augmenting the action and increasing the life of these facings. At the same time, the facings 21 are conveniently removed and inserted, which facilitates renewal.

At one end, the strip I9 is provided with a lateral tab pivoted at 36 to the adjacent end of the strip 2i?, preferably with the pivot 36 offset laterally from the strip i6 and in line with the end of the strip The pivot 33 forms a pivotal or hinge connection between the jaws 5 and 6. The lateral tab 35 has an integral tongue 31, which is struck up normal thereto and provided with an open fork 3S (Figures l, 2 and 3), for rotatably supporting the adjacent end of the curler iii?. The fork is, preferably, offset laterally to one side of the meeting surfaces 42 of the jaws being in substantial alignment with one end of the plate i in the embodiment shown. Atits opposite end, the plate I9 is provided with an integral tongue 43, which is turned up normal to the plate i9 and provided with a journal portion 44 for the opposite end of the curler 40. The tongue 43 forms only one-half of the journal for this end of the curler lll and the opposite half of this journal is formed by a tongue 45 integral with the adjacent end of the opposite plate 20 and struck up normal thereto.

The journal tongue may be provided with an overhanging portion 45 for holding the roller against outward displacement from the journal, but this overhanging portion may be omitted, if desired. The journal formed by the tongues 43 and 45 is disposed in longitudinal alignment with the fork 38 at the opposite end of the device and is, therefore, oiset laterally from the meeting surfaces l2 of the jaws and in substantial alignment with one end of the plate I9.

This offsetting laterally of the journals 3B' and 44, 45 of the meeting surfaces 42, with the accompanying lateral offsetting of the axis of the curler lil as shown in Figures '1, 2, 4 and 6 removes the heater, which is applied to the curler better protected against heat or steam. At the same time, the lateral offsetting or" the journalling means for the curler 4) from the joint 42 disposes the periphery of this curler means substantially tangent this joint 42, so that the strands of hair, upon being led between the jaws of the device, are wrapped upon the curler without bending or kinking these strands over the upper edges of the jaws and to a curler periphery, which is offset laterally from these upper edges. This removes any objectionable kinking at the base of the wave.

Adjacent the tongues 43 and 45, the plate 20 is preferably provided with a lateral tongue 50 (Figure 5) which, as the jaws are closed, moves between a pair of tongues 52 formed integral with the tongue 52 to the right, as viewed in Figure 5, offset downwardly, so that the tongue 56 may move therebetween, the tongue 56 being shown as offset transversely at 53. These cooperating tongues guide the jaws together and maintain the proper relative positions thereof.

Pivoted upon the outer end of the plate 20, as for example, upon a pin 55, disposed with its axle normal to the plane of the plate 23 is a detent arm 56. The pin 55 may be mounted by means of a tongue 51 formed integral with the adjacent end of the plate 2@ and turned up therefrom with its upper end turned inwardly substantially par allel with the plate 26 and with the opposite ends of the pin 55 suitably secured in the plate 2D vand in the inturned upper portion of the tongue 51. One end of the detent arm 56 is adapted to overlap the upstanding tongue 43 and is provided with an integral catch 58, which, as the jaws are closed, snaps automatically into an aperture 59 into the 'tongue 43. The edge 66 of the catch 58 is, preferably, inclined or formed in an equivalent manner so that, as the jaws are closed, its inner edge will cam the detent arm 5G outwardly, whereupon the jaws will close past the catch until the aperture 55 comes into register with the catch 58, whereupon the catch 58 will automatically spring into this aperture and nrmly and securely hold the jaws of the protector closed.

The detent arm 56 has the generally U-shaped portion with the integral tongues 62 pivotally mounting the same upon the pivot 55 and disposed within the generally U-shaped formation of the lug 5l.

The detent arm 56 extends in the opposite direction from the pivot 55 and forms a linger piece 64 between which and a cooperating finger piece 65 struck out from the plate 2Q a suitable spring 56 is interposed. The .spring Gil is shown as comprising a fiat spring strip turned around the pivot 55 and bearing at its free ends against the fixed finger piece 65 and the nger piece 64 of the detent arm and tends to urge the arm 56 into the position shown in Figure v5. The spring 66 normally holds the arm 56 in the position shown in Figure 5 and the catch is conveniently released from the aperture 59 to permit opening the jaws by grasping the finger pieces 64 and 65 and exerting a slight pressure, which will swing the arm 56 about the pivot 55 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5, suinciently to free the catch 58 from the aperture 59. One side of the spring 66 is, preferably, provided with integral tongues 68 (Figure 6), which abut the adjacent portions of the tongue 51 and tend to hold the spring properly positioned. Obviously, the separation of the jaws, by the simple expedient of releasing the detent to and swinging them apart about the pivot 35, also separates the journailing portions 44 and 45 for the curler 40, which releases the curler for removal from the device, without any separate or additional releasing operations.

The curler, per se, is preferably of the construction more fully illustrated in my copending application above referred to and a detailed description of this device will,-therefore, not be repeated here. Suffice it to say that this curler 48 comprises a metal spool or reel '18, preferably solid and preferably of circular section and diminishing in diameter from its opposite ends toward the center. 'Ihe spool 18 is preferably of aluminum and is splayed on diametrically opposite sides at one end at 'll and a saddle-like vretainer l2 is provided at one end with projecting tongues 13, which are pivoted upon the splayed sides Il, as by means of a cross-pin 14. The retainer 'l2 is preferably curved to conform with the periphery of the spool 10 and is adapted to be swung open or away from the spool so that the strands of hair may be wound around the spool and closed upon the spool with the strands of hair held between the spool and the retainer. One end of the spool 78 is provided with an integral axial pin 16, which is adapted to be held rotatably between the journalling tongues 43 and 45 and the opposite end of the spool 10 is provided with an integral reduced stem 18, which, when the curler is mounted upon the protecting jaws, is rotatably held in the open fork 38. The stem 'E8 is enlarged outwardly of the fork 38 at 78 and grooved or slotted transversely at 8D to receive a wing-like finger piece 82, which may be secured therein by a pin 83. The finger piece 82 forms the key for turning the spool '16 and this key thereby constitutes a unitary part of the spool.

At its opposite end, the spool 10 has teeth or splines 85, which may be milled therein and these splines 85 form a holding ratchet, which cooper-- ates with a spring pawl 86, mounted upon the adjacent end of the plate I9.

The pawl 86 is preferably formed of a thin strip of spring metal and is secured at 88 to the plate i9. From its angularly mounted end (Figure 6) the pawl strip 86 extends up and is turned in and downwardly at 90 for cooperation with the ratchet teeth 85. 'Ihe cooperation of the upper turned end 90 of the pawl 86 with the ratchet teeth 85 is as viewed in Figure 6 such that the pawl will ride yieldngly over the teeth 85 and permit turning of the spool in a counterclockwise direction, but will engage the teeth as shown and prevent unwinding or turning of the spool in the opposite direction. The journal portion 45 being separated from the journal portion 44 in the opening of the jaws, the pawl 86 is released from the ratchet automatically by this opening movement of the jaws.

In use, the desired number of strands or lock of hair is separated out. The jaws of the device are swung to open position about the pivot 36 and the lock of hair is then arranged between the jaws of the device and these jaws are closed upon the hair, as shown more or less diagrammatically in Figure 6. The curler being detached, the retainer is swung away from the spool portion and the hair is wound or laid upon the spool and the retainer is closed upon the hair all above the clamping jaws. Upon winding the hair upon the spool in this manner, the retainer is closed and the curler is rotatably mounted, as shown in Figure 6, and with the hair upon the curler, this curler may be turned or rotated by means of the iinger piece 82 to tension the wave.

The cooperating ratchet 85 and pawl 86 hold the curler against unwinding and the spool 18 in any wound position in which it is released.

Upon thus tensioning the hair, the heater shown more. or less diagrammatically in dotted lines at 66 in Figure 6 may be applied to the curler. This heater is shown of the spreadable jaw type well understood in the art and the scalp is protected therefrom by the lateral disposition of the heater with reference to the opening and Closing joint libetween' the jaws. `Upon completion of the wave,vthe heater 96 is removed and, by the simple expedient of grasping the nger pieces 68 and 65, the detent 56 is released and the jaws may be swung to open position. The curler spool 'F6 is automatically released by the opening of the jaws, as is the ratchet and pawl means 85 and 86.

For the purpose of clamping the jaws 5 and 6 more tightly together in closed position, an arm i6@ is pivoted at H12 upon the inger piece r64. This arm H30 has an eccentric cam head HB8, which cooperates with the edge of the base 184 of the channel or generally U-shaped portion of the tongue 5l and draws the detent arm 56 outwardly and the jaw 5 hooked thereto at 58 tightly against the jaw 6, when the arm |88 is swung from the position shown in Figures 4 and 6 to the position shown in Figure 7. In Figures l, 2, 4, 5 and 6, the jaws 5 and 6 are closed and the catch 58 is engaged, but these illustrations are with the arm 88 in upright or released position and without the full clamping effect imposed by the arm E88. The end View in Figure 7 shows the arm |68 swung to jaw clamping position and shows how these jaws 5 and 6 are clamped more tightly together and how the facings 8 are forced together and up into the longitudinal recess between the rounded edges I4 of the jaws.

To permit the movement of the detent arm 58 outwardly relative the jaw 6, under the action of the cam or eccentric head E83 of the arm H68, the openings |65 in the generally horizontal legs H86 of the detent arm 56 for the pivot 55 are preferably elongated slightly in a transverse direction relative the jaws 5 and 6.

In the embodiment of Figures 9, l0 and 11, instead of the detent arm. 56, with the catch 58 of the previous embodiment, an arm H8 is pivoted at III to the tongue 43', which corresponds with the tongue 43 of the previous embodiment. When the jaws 5 and 6 are closed, as illustrated in Figure 9, the arm HU is swingable down between a pair of upstanding lugs H2, one integral and up-turned from the plate i8 and the other formed separately and secured to the plate i9 as by means of a rivet H6. The inner end of the piece H6 may be rounded inwardly or concave to form a stop for cooperation with the complementary rounded end of the lug 52 on the other jaw member. The outer end of the arm H8 is threaded at H3 to receive a thumb nut H4, which upon swinging the arm H0 down between the lugs H2, as shown in Figure 9, may be screwed or tightened up against the lugs I l2, to bind or clamp the jaws tightly together in the manner illustrated in Figure 7. By swinging the arm l I8 upwardly to release same from the lugs l I2, the jaws may be opened or closed, as desired. In this embodiment, the overhanging portion 46 on the tongue 45 of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to '7 is omitted and it may be, in any of the previous embodiments.

In the embodiment of Figures 12 and 13, the

arm H0' is pivoted to the tongue 43 at lll', as 75 in the embodiment of Figures 9, l and 11, but in this case, the arm ||0l comprises a pair of relatively thin straps spaced at their outer ends at |20, as by oisetting one of these straps at |2| and these spaced outer ends |20 are adapted to be swung over a single lug H2 turned up from the plate I9". The arm |00 is substantially like the arm |00 in Figure '7, but is pivoted at |02 between the outer spaced lends of 10 vthe strap members forming the arm H0. The

eccentric or cam head |03 of the arm |00 cooperates in this case with the edge of the lug H2 to clamp and bind the jaws of the device tightly together. I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown or described.

I claim: 1. A hair Waver, comprising a pair of jaw members, facings secured to the bottom surfaces of said jaw members, said facings each comprising a felt pad glued to the bottom surfaces of said jaw members, and rubber facing strips vulcanized to the bottom surfaces of said pads.

2. A hair Waver, comprising a pair of jaw members, facings secured to the bottom surfaces of said jaw members, said facings each comprising a felt pad secured with a iish glue to the bottom surfaces of said jaw members, and rubber facing strips vulcanized to the bottom surfaces of said pads.

3. A hair Waver comprising a protecting clamp and a curler having journals at its opposite ends, said clamp comprising jaws having pivotal connection at one end of the clamp and adapted for swinging movement together and apart, means entirely on one of said jaws and cooperable with the journal at one end of the curler for roy tatably supporting the curler at the end of the clamp where the jaws are pivotally connected, and means comprising a pair of parts cooperating with the journal at the opposite end of the clamp and rotatably supporting the adjacent end of the curler, there being one of said parts carried on each of said jaws and one part having a 4;, portion overhanging the adjacent journal of the curler to hold the same against separation from the clamp, the parts of said last curler supporting means being automatically released by swinging movement of said jaws apart about said pivwotal connection.

i. A hair waver comprising a protecting clamp and a curler, said clamp comprising a pair of flat generally rectangular jaw members pivotally connected to be swung to open and closed positions, a pair of journals one on each of said jaw members and cooperable when said jaw members are closed to rotatably support the curler upon the clamp, said journals being separated automatically by the swinging movement of the jaw members to open position about the pivotal connection therebetween whereby the curler is released from the clamp, the curler having a trunnion, ratchet means on said curleradjacent said trunnion, a rigid tongue on one of said journals and overhanging the trunnion when said jawsv are in closed position, and a vspring pawl engaging said ratchet means for limiting rotation of said curler.

5. A hair Waver comprising a protecting clamp and a curler, said clamp comprising a pair of ilat generally rectangular jaw members pivotally connected to be swung to open and closed positions, a pair of journals one on each of said jaw members and cooperable when said jaw members are closed to rotatably support the curler upon the clamp, said journals being separated automatically by the swinging movement of the jaw members to open position about the pivotal connection therebetween whereby the curler is released from the clamp, and a detent pivoted on one jaw member and engageable with the journal upon the other jaw member for holding the jaw members closed and against opening movement.

6. A hair waver comprising a pair of jaw members pivotally connected to be swung to open and closed positions and having meeting edges movable into and out of cooperation by the opening and closing of said jaws, a curler, means struck up from one of said jaw members adjacent the pivotal connection thereof for journaling one end of said curler, and means at the free ends of each of said jaw members cooperable when said jaws are closed for journaling the other end of said curler in position directly exposed to said jaws, said journaling means being so disposed as to oiset said curler laterallywith respect to the meeting edges of said jaws.

'7. A hair waver comprising a pair of jaw members pivotally connected to be swung into open and closed positions, a curler, means disposed on one of said jaw members and confined within the width thereof for journaling one end of said curler above said one jaw member, and means disposed at the opposite end of said jaw member for journaling the other end of said curler and for alining said curler with reference to said first journaling means above said jaw member, and offset laterally from the meeting edges of said jaw members.

BERNARD A. STERLING. 

